A Cullen Christmas
by GeronimoPond
Summary: Bella spends the holidays with the Cullens, and experiences first-hand the Cullen Secret Santa Tradition. A short story for the holiday season. Rated M for possible...interesting situations. Vampire. NAME CHANGED BECAUSE OF CONTEST BY JANDCO AND WTVOC!
1. Mistletoe

**A/N: This isn't going to be a long one, I hope. I want it to be done by at least New Years. **

**BPOV**

I sat in my living room, watching the Christmas tree lights that shone on the glass bulbs Charlie hauled down from the attic earlier today. We weren't planning on doing a tree this year, but one of our neighbors gave us one yesterday and the rest is history. Charlie was in the kitchen, working on bills and paperwork, mumbling quietly to himself. Bright lights splayed across the living room wall and shut off. I turned around to stare out the window and saw the familiar silver Volvo parked in the driveway. Within seconds, the doorbell was ringing. I jumped up from the couch and hurried to the door. I heard Charlie's chair scrape against the tiles and his heavy footsteps.

"It's just Edward, Dad. I'll let him in." I said quickly, unlocking the door. Charlie grumbled and went back into the kitchen. I opened the door and all but threw myself at Edward. I wrapped my legs around his wait, hooked my arms around his neck. I crushed my warm lips against his icy ones, feeling him smile. I pulled back, more than a little breathless.

"Hi." I panted, kissing him again.

"Hello." He said as he set me back on the ground.

"Did you notice anything when you came over here?" I asked, my arms still around his waist. He glanced around the room, his head cocking to the side as he searched the upstairs.

"No. Why?" He responded hesitantly. I pointed above him, to the top of the doorframe. I had taped a sprig of mistletoe I found the box Charlie brought down. Edward smiled and turned around, plucking it off the frame. He stared at it for a moment and then pocketed it.

"Save it for later, I guess. I was wondering why I didn't get my usual greeting. Not that I wouldn't mind changing it," His smile grew wicked and I laughed. Charlie cleared his throat and Edward released me.

"Edward." My father stood in the living room, his arms crossed on his chest.

"Charlie. My family wishes you a merry Christmas and a happy New Year. My mother's offer stills stands; you are welcome to spend Christmas Eve with my family and enjoy my mother's cooking."

"That's okay, but Bella and I are doing something that night. Isn't that right, Isabella?" I stiffened, knowing the tone and tactic he was using. He had still not forgiven Edward for leaving me last year.

"Dad, I told you I was spending the evening with the Cullens."

"You spend too much time over there anyway. Can't you pencil in one night with your dad?" The guilt trip began and I was in line for a ticket. Edward rubbed my back reassuringly.

"If you have plans with your father already, I wouldn't want to interfere. Esme is making breakfast Christmas morning," He glanced at Charlie, hoping he hadn't gone too far with anything.

"I'll come over later Christmas Eve. Tell Esme I'll be over extra-early on Christmas morning to help her with the cooking." I glared at Charlie, daring him to object.

"I can see this is going to end up weighing in your favor, so I'll drop it. You can spend Christmas with the Cullens. We'll do something on the twenty-third. If you haven't planned anything else," Charlie huffed and stalked back into the kitchen. Edward hugged me against him, his cold breath filtering through my hair. I held back a shiver and closed my eyes.

"That was pleasant. I'm fairly sure that was the most he's ever spoken to me since the minute you introduced him to me," There was laughter and an undercurrent of sarcasm in his voice and I grinned. It was absolutely true.

"Maybe he's beginning to warm up to you," I nudged him with my elbow, making the pun entirely clear.

"If that ever happens." He grumbled under his voice and pulled me to the door.

"Alice is waiting anxiously for you. Apparently there are some last minute items she picked up and needs help wrapping."

"Goody." I said dryly and grabbed my jacket from the sofa, shutting the door behind me.

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**Up Next: Christmas Eve. REVIEW!**


	2. HandsOn Demonstrations

**A/N: I know it's not Christmas anymore, but I finally got into the Christmas spirit today and decided to whip this chapter out. I might make it longer than a short story, depending on how it goes. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and have a happy New Year if I don't update before then.**

**EPOV**

I pretended to snuggle Bella closer to me as we walked up my driveway, but in reality, I was making sure she wasn't going to fall flat on her face if she slipped on ice. Not that I didn't mind having her sweet, warm body pressed against mine.

"Edward?" Bella asked, pausing before the step before the front door. I skidded slightly and tilted my head towards her.

"Hmm?"

"What are those?" She pointed to the front yard, where earlier this morning Emmett, Alice, and Jasper decided to make snow angels. Each was perfect, with no footsteps leading to or from them.

"Snow angels? Ever make one before?" There were so many things I needed to learn about her and this was one of them. I had never asked if she had made snow angels before. _Well, she did grow up in Phoenix…_

"Um…no." She quietly responded, ducking her head. I nodded, figuring out quickly that she didn't spend many of the winter holidays with Charlie.

"Well, there's no time like the present." I picked her up and in seconds, we were both flat on our backs in the snow. Bella was squawking in protest as I crouched above her, dripping snow onto her.

"It's easy as riding a bike. All you have to do is this," I began moving her arms up and down, pressing down slightly to make an indent in the snow.

"What are you doing?" Her voice wavered and she swallowed loudly.

"Giving you a hands-on demonstration. I hear those are the best," I leaned down to whisper in her ear and placed a kiss in the hollow behind her ear, smiling when I felt her shiver.

"Bella, move your legs back and forth. I'm a little busy up here," I instructed, kissing up and down the length of her neck. Her eyes were unfocused and it seemed to take her awhile to process what I had just asked. Soon enough, her legs began to move beneath mine. My lips found hers and the whole snow angel making process ended abruptly. I rolled with Bella in my arms, avoiding with all cost trying not to destroy the angel we made. I landed on my back with Bella's fingers tangled tightly in my hair. She pressed herself hard against me and I moaned quietly. She tugged on my hair and I growled. She tugged to the right and soon I was on top of her, molding her body in the snow.

"I've never seen a snow angel look quite like that," Alice's high pitched voice shattered the moment. I sat up, pulling Bella into my lap. She looked around, dazed, and her blurry eyes landed on Alice.

"Edward was giving me a lesson," She drunkenly patted my cheek and nuzzled my chest like a kitten.

_**Edward Anthony Cullen, what have you done to her?! She's wasted!**_Alice screeched in my head. I grinned crookedly and winked.

"Walk it off there, sweetie. I have plans for you tonight and time is limited. Edward, no more angel lessons tonight." Alice tsked and skipped back up to the house. I picked up Bella, her legs wrapping around my waist automatically. I glanced down at the snow and noticed two distinct forms that looked nothing like the snow angels around them. I laughed quietly and carried Bella inside.

The minute the door shut, Alice pounced and dragged Bella upstairs. Emmett and Jasper were watching television and I plopped down on the couch between them, waiting for Alice's signal that it was all right for me to retrieve Bella.

_I can't believe he hasn't figured it out yet…_Emmett thought quite loudly. I whipped my head to him, eyes narrowing.

_Shit! Damn it, Edward! Every time!_ He yelled and rolled his eyes.

"Emmett…" I warned, a growl in my chest.

_Hey! Don't use your freaky mind powers on me! Try using your radar on Emo-Boy over there. _

"Jasper…" I turned around and saw that Jasper was trying hard not to laugh. I glared at my brother as I watched the scene replay in his mind. He had made Bella and I kiss in the snow, not that I had minded one bit, but it was the principle of the fact.

"Sorry little bro, I couldn't help it. Bella was sending all these mixed signals and I thought I would help the situation out. You guys did all the…dirty work." He snickered and dodged my punch. I was laughing as I chased him around the living room.

"Boys! Enough! You'll knock over something!" Esme scolded as she walked by the room. I tackled Jasper, sending both of us flying into the wall, knocking a wreath off the wall. It landed around both of our necks, locking us together.

"Wait right there. I need to get my camera," Esme dashed to the kitchen and came back, snapping pictures. Emmett, not wanting to miss an opportunity to get his picture taken, jumped in behind us.

"Edward, have you told Bella about our little tradition?" Esme asked once Jasper and I untangled ourselves from the wreath and hung it back on the wall. I shook my head, helping Jasper up from the ground.

"Dude! She's practically family! You haven't let her in on it?" Emmett scoffed, jumping on the couch. Esme frowned and Emmett sat down, head hung.

"It kind of slipped my mind. I'll do it tonight." I checked up on Bella, who was in the midst of an Alice makeover.

_**Keep out of my head, Edward! I'll let you know when she's done.**_

_**I'm coming up anyway. I've been ordered to let Bella in on our tradition.**_

…_**fine. **_

I took the stairs four at a time and jogged down the hallway. I heard Bella's quiet sigh and smiled. She put up with Alice's antics better than any of us. I knocked and entered before Alice could respond. Bella was sitting in the middle of the room, surrounded by piles of clothes and make-up. Alice was hovering around her, poking at her hair with scissors. _Scissors?_

"Alice! Back away from Bella!"

"Thank you," Bella whispered in my ear when I snatched her up.

"What?" Alice pouted, like a child whose toy was taken away.

"You promised me that you wouldn't touch a single hair on Bella's head." She rolled her eyes and fisted her hands on her hips.

"But there are so many split ends! Just a little trim. And maybe bangs. More layers in the back, too."

"I don't see any split ends," Bella mumbled, peering down at strands of hair she had between her fingers.

"Well, I do and that's all that counts."

"No, it doesn't. Makeover is over, Alice."

"Sorry," Bella said over her shoulder as I carried her out of Alice's room.

Back downstairs, it seemed as though the entire family had come to help explain our tradition. Even Rose made an appearance, which was rare. Carlisle smiled at Bella as I set her down on the ground.

"Ahh, the time has come, has it? I'm surprised Edward didn't tell you earlier."

"Tell me what? Edward, what were you going to tell me?" Her voice hitched and her eyes grew wide.

"No need to panic, Bells. It's just Secret Santa." Emmett said, patting her on the back. Bella calmed down slightly, but still kept a wary eye on all of us.

"Secret…Santa…?"

**BPOV**

_What the hell? Secret Santa?_ I thought to myself, glancing around the room. Alice entered, scissors still in hand.

"You haven't told her yet? Edward, honestly." She grumbled and slid gracefully onto Jasper's lap. Edward let out a long breath and turned to me.

"I thought since you're almost family," He reached for my hand and began playing with the diamond ring on my left ring finger. "That you'd like to be a part of our Christmas tradition."

"…sure." I had no idea why this was such a huge deal to the Cullens. Edward must have sensed my confusion because he continued on.

"It's the only time of year when we aren't allowed to use our…powers, so to say. I can't read minds, Alice can't see the future, and Jasper isn't allowed to influence our emotions. We act as normal as we can."

"That sounds nice. How do we go about this whole Secret Santa business?" I asked, the idea beginning to sound interesting to me. Emmett was grinning ear to ear at me and Edward kissed my cheek. Esme left the room and came back seconds later with a basket.

"Bella, you pick first." She held the basket out in front of me and I cautiously stuck my hand in. I pulled out a neatly folded piece of paper and opened it. It read: **Rosalie**. My stomach sunk. Rose? The Ice Queen? I bit my lip and looked over at Edward. He shrugged his shoulders and reached in. His eyes lit up as he read the name.

"Do the names work for you both?" I nodded and slipped the paper into my pocket. Everyone else picked names and quickly hid their expressions as they read the paper. Esme was last and she daintily folded the paper and tucked it in her pocket.

"What's the money limit this year, Carlisle?" Jasper drawled, lounging back on the sofa.

"Well, I thought since it's Bella's first year with us, that she'd like to set the price." My jaw dropped and I let out a startled breath. Alice's eyes darted to mine and she began mouthing money amounts to me.

"Carlisle, maybe next year…we should stick to our regular budget. I can help Bella out with shopping." Edward ventured, rubbing my arm reassuringly.

"I wasn't sure about how she would feel when I asked-" Carlisle was interrupted by Rosalie's cold voice.

"Let Bella set the price. We can see what she's really made of," Emmett quietly admonished her, along with Esme. It hurt since it hit a touchy subject between Edward and I. I hated that he could spend thousands of dollars on a whim, while I had to work hard and save for months to get what I wanted. I didn't want him buying things for me and I wanted to show the Cullens I wasn't going to be a "gold digger". I quickly went through all the money I had on me and in the jar next to my bed. It was close to nearly a year's worth of work, but I thought it would be enough.

"Fifteen-hundred. No more, no less." I said quickly, not daring to look at Edward or Rosalie. I knew the price was staggering, but as Rosalie said, I needed to prove myself and that's what I was doing right now.

"Bella, you don't have to spend that much money. I'm sure we can work something out." Carlisle's calming voice drifted over to me.

"NO! I mean, no. Fifteen-hundred is what I can do, and so can all of you." The tone of my voice made everything final. Carlisle nodded, understanding what I was doing.

"All right. You heard her. There are only five days until Christmas. Good luck everyone."

_Five days to shop for Rosalie Hale? _

I'm doomed.

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**Well, there you have it. The second chapter. Thoughts? Criticisms? Random things that have popped into your mind while reading this? I'd love to hear them and I'll respond to the ones I like the most. If you have any ideas for a gift for Rosalie, I'd be glad to hear them. I thought it would be an interesting twist and I have nothing for her. Which would make it an awkward Christmas morning for Bella and Rosalie. Don't make me do that to them.**


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